Canada and the Italian Campaign in WWII

Italian CampaignItalian Campaign

1943-1945: 100,000 plus 1943-1945: 100,000 plus Canadians served in ItalyCanadians served in Italy

Background Information Background Information

Stalin is pressuring the allies to take Stalin is pressuring the allies to take some pressure off the Red army some pressure off the Red army

North Africa has been taken by the North Africa has been taken by the alliesallies

Hitler has made defenses all across Hitler has made defenses all across the coast of Europe calling it his the coast of Europe calling it his “Fortress Europe” “Fortress Europe”

SicilySicily

With north Africa With north Africa conquered, the conquered, the allies set their allies set their sights on Europe sights on Europe

Allied forces Allied forces needed a place to needed a place to launch an assault launch an assault on main land Italyon main land Italy

They wanted to They wanted to knock Italy out of knock Italy out of the war.the war.

The Battle for SicilyThe Battle for Sicily July July 19431943

Amphibious assaultAmphibious assault   2,590 vessels 2,590 vessels Over half a million Over half a million

allied soldiers allied soldiers participated in the participated in the attackattack

38 days to capture 38 days to capture Sicily Sicily

CanadiansCanadians

Canadians fought Canadians fought fiercely through fiercely through bad conditions bad conditions

Terrain was Terrain was terrible, supplies terrible, supplies had to be delivered had to be delivered by donkeys by donkeys

Roads were full of Roads were full of land mines, axis land mines, axis army's held the army's held the high ground high ground

•Germans were Germans were pushed back to Mt. pushed back to Mt. Etna Etna •Canadians were Canadians were called upon to called upon to break the line.break the line.

Fall of Mussolini Fall of Mussolini Mussolini was the leader of Mussolini was the leader of

ItalyItaly He was replaced on Sept. 3He was replaced on Sept. 3rdrd

19431943 The government promptly The government promptly

surrendered taking Italy out surrendered taking Italy out of the war of the war

Germans took control of Germans took control of Italy's defenseItaly's defense

Softening up defenses Softening up defenses throughout the rest of the throughout the rest of the German controlled territories German controlled territories

Attack on the mainlandAttack on the mainland

September 3September 3rdrd the the attack on Mainland attack on Mainland Italy began.Italy began.

Easy going for the Easy going for the Canadians at the Canadians at the startstart

Germany withdrew Germany withdrew its troops in order its troops in order to create a to create a defensive line. defensive line.

The Italian Campaign

Ortona & Monte Cassino Ortona & Monte Cassino VideoVideo

Take notes on why each battle was Take notes on why each battle was fought and what the fighting was fought and what the fighting was like.like.

Pt 1 – start @ 6:30Pt 1 – start @ 6:30– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESejMMbbK

8g Pt 2 Pt 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAsNJc02icY

Pt 3 – end @ 2:20Pt 3 – end @ 2:20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgdIhx

V7d8M

Ortona-December 1943Ortona-December 1943

Violent street fightingViolent street fighting Tanks could not be used as the streets Tanks could not be used as the streets

were too narrow and tanks were were too narrow and tanks were vulnerable vulnerable

Canadians became experts at Canadians became experts at “mouseholing” which was their “mouseholing” which was their method of street fightingmethod of street fighting

Training manuals were written about Training manuals were written about how the Canadians fought during how the Canadians fought during Ortona Ortona

PicturesPictures

German under fire in Ortona Tanks Attack Ortona

Germans Defending a StreetCanadian Infantry in Ortona

Mussolini, after being killed he was hung at a gas station along with 15 other leading fascists. People were allowed to desecrate his body in order to take out their frustrations with his rule.

Rome-Rome-June 1944June 1944 After much heavy After much heavy

fighting allied forces fighting allied forces liberated Rome. liberated Rome.

They were They were welcomed with welcomed with cheerscheers

Canadians fought in Canadians fought in Italy until February Italy until February 1945 1945

Fighting in Italy Fighting in Italy continued until Maycontinued until May

Casualties Casualties

About 6,000 About 6,000 Canadians died Canadians died

Over 25,000 were Over 25,000 were woundedwounded

That means that That means that ¼ of the men ¼ of the men were either were either injured or killedinjured or killed

QuestionQuestion

Why do you think the Canadians who Why do you think the Canadians who fought in Italy are called ‘The fought in Italy are called ‘The Forgotten Army?’Forgotten Army?’

SourcesSources http://www.ushmm.org/lcmedia/map/lc/image/http://www.ushmm.org/lcmedia/map/lc/image/

eur72160.gif eur72160.gif http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/history/His10/Course/http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/history/His10/Course/

1942map.jpe 1942map.jpe http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/72-16/72-http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/72-16/72-

16.htm 16.htm http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/naples/http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/naples/

map1.jpg map1.jpg http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?

PgNm=ArchivedFeatures&Params=A2119 PgNm=ArchivedFeatures&Params=A2119 http://wwii.ca/content-24/world-war-ii/the-http://wwii.ca/content-24/world-war-ii/the-

italian-campaign/italian-campaign/